


tripping on the now

by killian_will_do



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alex being sneaky and knowing about Luke's crush before Luke does, F/M, Fluff, Luke and Reggie worrying about Alex, No Beta, basically how luke ends up in that purple polo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 13:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29029440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killian_will_do/pseuds/killian_will_do
Summary: Reggie tells the guys about the gig Ray "booked" for them and Alex prepares Luke to show up at Julie's school. Episode 7 - Edge of Greatormy take on how Luke ended up wearing that purple polo
Relationships: Alex Mercer & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 3
Kudos: 99





	tripping on the now

Reggie poofed into the studio. 

Luke was attempting to tinker on the piano, trying not to make it obvious he was watching Alex brood on the couch. 

“Good news, guys!” Reggie said excitedly. 

Luke noted that Alex barely even glanced up, but he prayed whatever the news, it would distract his hurting friend. 

“What’s up, Reg?” he asked.

Reggie bounced over to the couch and slung an arm around Alex’s unwilling shoulders. 

“My man Ray has booked our next gig!” Reggie beamed.

Reggie’s enthusiasm drew a laugh from Luke like it usually did.

“Wait, really?” He stood from the piano bench and crossed the room.

“Before you get too stoked, it’s really just a garage party but he offered to professionally film us and put it on the internet.” 

Luke remembered Julie mentioning something about the internet and streams. 

“Sounds promising,” he shrugged.

“Can we even be seen on film?” Alex asked a little huffily.  
Luke caught Reggie’s look and he gave a small shake of his head. Alex didn’t quite seem ready to talk about it, so they had decided to let his attitude slide. 

“We can!” Luke said. “Julie was showing me the video Flynn tried to take of us at Eats and Beats. It didn’t turn out great because she started bopping along to our song, but we are very much on the film and look normal.” 

“As normal as three dead dude rocking out can possibly look,” Reggie added with a laugh.

“Well that’s something at least,” Alex said. 

“So how did you hear about this? Are you listening in on Ray’s calls now?” Luke asked, smiling fondly at Reggie’s ability to lovingly adopt people.

“I was jamming with Ray over breakfast when he told Julie. She seemed really excited!” 

Luke found himself smiling just thinking of Julie.

“Yeah? Well great. I’m sure Julie will stop before school to chat about it then. We’ll need to start on our setlist. When’s the gig?”

Reggie frowned.

“I think Julie already left for school.”

That made Luke frown as well. She didn’t even stop by to let them know about the gig? Or at least say hello?

“But I think soon? Maybe tonight?” Reggie added.

“Tonight?! We don’t have anything ready! We need to talk to Julie. Start making plans...” 

Despite Luke's sudden inner panic, he noticed Alex finally look up from glaring at his shoes. 

“What do we need to talk to Julie about?” Alex asked.

Luke huffed, exasperated. 

“The setlist? Logistics? I don’t know, we’re just no--”

“You should go talk to her, then,” Alex cut him off, his expression hard for Luke to decipher.

“I--what?” Pulled from a pre-gig-melt-down, Luke’s mind was already jumping on the suggestion. Any excuse to see Julie…  
“Go get her thoughts on the setlist. That way you can start prepping and we can run a plan past Julie when she gets home from school.” 

“You think I should...like, go to her school?” he asked, so very tempted but not sure if that was another boundary he shouldn’t cross. But wouldn’t it be fun to see Julie in that setting? He hadn’t seen her in a while anyway. Not since last night. 

“Yeah. What’s the one song of ours that you want to share with the world?”

“Uh…” his mind reeled. He loved Julie’s vocals on Bright, but their energy on Finally Free had been electric. Julie had been incredible. He was smiling just thinking of that performance. 

“What about Great?” Reggie asked. 

They had been working on it in rehearsals, but Luke wasn’t sure it was perfect yet. 

“Stop scrunching your eyebrows Mr. Perfectionist. What if we promise to work on it all day, so it’s ready? I’m sure Julie’s already amazing.” Alex offered. 

“Yeah, she’s…” Luke trailed off and felt himself blushing. He shook his head.

“Yeah, Great could be perfect. Let me see if Julie wants to start with that one and then we can begin practicing.”

“WAIT!” 

Luke had been about to poof out when he froze at Alex’s outburst. 

“You okay?” he asked.

Alex had risen from the couch and walked to the ladder up to the loft where they still kept all their stuff. 

“Yeah, but you can’t go see Julie wearing that.” 

Luke would have scoffed, but Alex was smiling--the first one Luke had seen today. 

“What’s wrong with my band tee?” he asked. “Julie sees me in these regularly.”

“Right, but you’re going to school,” Reggie said. “They have a dress code.”

Luke laughed. 

“How are they going to ‘dress code’ me if they can’t see me or what I’m wearing?” 

“It’s not about dress code,” Alex called down from the loft. “It’s about Julie seeing you in a new environment. You don’t want to disappoint her, do you?” 

Luke was confused but also concerned.

“Disappoint Julie?” 

“Here,” Alex said, tossing down a shirt. “I think this is the dressiest shirt you own, and quite possibly the only one with sleeves.” He poofed down from the loft and stood expectantly in front of Luke.

“I...why am I putting on sleeves again?” 

Alex waved his hands dismissively. 

“Don’t argue. Just put it on.” 

The half smile on Alex’s face was reassuring to Luke. If Alex wanted to fuss about his shirt and it seemed to pull Alex from his funk…then Luke would do it, no questions asked. 

“Fine,” he laughed as he tore off his band tee and changed into the long-sleeve polo.

“I do think Great is a good choice for tonight,” Alex said while he watched him change. “You and Julie did a good job writing that one.” 

Pulling on the hem and then trying to fix his mussed hair, Luke responded. “That one was mostly Julie and her mom, I think. She’s incredible. But we knew that.” 

“Still,” Alex said, now eyeing him critically. “She brings out another level to your writing.” He brushed Luke’s hands out of the way and finished fixing Luke’s hair. Then he gestured for Luke to spin. He humored Alex and gave a quick twirl.

“You’re right. She’s…” Luke trailed off again, trying to come up with a better adjective than ‘amazing’ or ‘incredible.’ 

“You should tell her,” Reggie piped up from his spot still on the couch. 

Alex gave him one last once-over glance and nodded. Luke turned to Reggie.

“Tell her what?”

“That you enjoy writing with her. Or that she makes your writing better,” Reggie shrugged. 

“Now go!” Alex said. “Or you won’t be able to catch her before class begins.”

“I--I look okay? We decided on Great?” Luke asked again, suddenly nervous and maybe stalling a bit. 

“Yes and yes. Now go!” 

Luke smiled at his friend, glad he seemed to be feeling a bit better. 

“Okay, I’m gone. Thanks guys,” a feeling weirdly similar to butterflies filling his ghost stomach.

**Author's Note:**

> I know this isn't great (quick and dirty with barely no editing and obviously no beta lols), but I needed to get something down for this fandom. I've been onboard this train since October but haven't had time to write or make friends (so low-key come be my friend on tumblr: @killian-will-do [yes I was an ouat blog so clearly I'm older than this tv show's target demographic]). 
> 
> I just wanted to know how Luke found out about the garage party and why he made the bold choice to show up at Julie's school (wearing sLEEVeS no less) to talk about it. Also, we all know Alex and Reggie knew about Luke's crush before he was willing to face that fact himself....so of course I think Alex had a hand in Luke's wardrobe choice. And also, yes Reggie would give good advice (in a careless, throw away manner) about talking to girls. And I just love their dynamic sooooo much. So anyway. Thanks for reading!!


End file.
